


Beautiful Stranger

by ReaperDuckling



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: BisPearl LIIIIIIIVES again, F/F, Fusion, Getting Together, Useless Lesbians, dancing in the kitchen cliché, jealous Bismuth, mentions of past Pearl/Rose, post ep 12 of steven universe: future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23071300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaperDuckling/pseuds/ReaperDuckling
Summary: “Will you let me show you?” Suddenly, there’s something coy in Pearl’s eyes. Bismuth’s soft smile turn into a flustered laugh. Why is eye contact so difficult all of a sudden?“Show me what, Pearl?”“Just how much I care for you, dearest.”
Relationships: Bismuth/Pearl (Steven Universe)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 75





	Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> This ship is thriving and so am I 
> 
> No beta, we look back later and shamefully edit out our errors like MEN

Happy is a good colour on Pearl. 

Bismuth came unbubbled thinking that she’d already seen (and loved) all shades of the other gem, but was caught completely off guard by this new, confident and joyful side to the renegade. Seeing her so radiant is lovely, but in her darkest moments, Bismuth can’t help but admit to herself that it’s making her feel a bit… lonely. 

She just always kind of thought that if or when Pearl ever truly got over Rose, Bismuth would be the one that she’d turn to. A foolish hope to maintain, perhaps, after so many thousands of years kept prisoner in a literal bubble. Of course Pearl would move on with her life! And Bismuth is happy for her, she really is, it’s just that sometimes, watching her smile and laugh and exchange these so called ‘numbers’ with humans, her stomach aches and her thoughts begin to spiral. Sometimes it makes her think of a certain rose coloured quartz, who once charmed humans with easy smiles and sharp wit while Pearl looked on with glassy eyes (whilst Bismuth looked at her, only her, always her). The thought always leave a bitter aftertaste. In a way, Pearl’s new, confident persona makes her even more difficult to approach than before the gem wars - instead of being a comforting shoulder to lean on, Bismuth has been reduced to an outsider looking in. And she keeps telling herself that she’s 

**_happy_ **

happy, happy,  _ happy  _ for her. And she is! She’s always deserved this kind of well-being, as well as any and all the affection the universe can possibly throw at her. But it’s a curse, because even when Pearl’s attention isn’t directed at her Bismuth can’t help but be drawn in by how lovely she is, in all of her courage, in all of her brilliance and all of her radiant smiles. 

And now, after their outing (date? Was it a date? Bismuth thought it had been, until Pearl left her to make friends with that old human male) at the skate-rink, she’s been invited into the crystal gem’s house. They’d dropped Steven off for a sleepover at Connie’s place earlier, and the other two residents of the home are in their respective rooms. 

Pearl is standing by the kitchen counter, holding a piece of paper out for Bismuth to take, and though being at the center of the other gem’s attention is nerve-wracking in the best kind of way, it’s also making Bismuth feel… apprehensive. 

“I don’t know about this…”    
“Just take it.” Pearl insists, showing the piece of scrap into her hands. “It’s the telephone number to my cellular device! If you dial it on a phone, you can reach me at any time...” She taps into the bubble attached to her gem and produce the phone to demonstrate. Bismuth sees the large amounts of numbers she’s got collected in the bubble, signed with names and pink hearts and, in one occasion, the lipstick remnants of a kiss, and feel slightly sick. Pearl doesn’t seem to notice. “Steven helped me set it up, and it’s improved my life a thousandfold! Why, just the other day Amethyst needed some help chasing a stray raccoon out of her room, how it got in there to begin with is  _ beyond me _ , and instead of shapeshifting her mouth into a megaphone to scream for my assistance from the rooftop, as she usually would have done, she simply-”

“I just…” Bismuth interrupt, then blush when she realize that’s what she’s done. The number falls to the floor. Pearl is watching her, looking almost a bit… flustered? And so the gem soldiers on. “I don’t wanna be just another number to you.” 

“Just- just another number? Bismuth!” In her shock, Pearl has taken a step forward. They’re standing so close to each other, it’s making the blacksmith’s head spin. “I’ve known you for thousands of years. You will never be anything but-” 

“...anything but what?”

The silence seem to spread and grow between them. Bismuth is looking down at Pearl, watching the flicker of a thousand different emotions play out in her impossibly big eyes with bated breath, until finally they settle onto something soft and tired. 

Her next word comes out as an exhale. 

“Irreplaceable.” 

She smile up at her, and Bismuth find herself slowly smiling back, drawn in by the soft warmth of her eyes. Pearl place a hand on her arm, making the other gem release a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. 

“Oh, Bismuth, I’ve missed you so much. You’re ever so precious to me.” 

“Oh.” 

“Will you let me show you?” Suddenly, there’s something coy in Pearl’s eyes. Bismuth’s soft smile turn into a flustered laugh. Why is eye contact so difficult all of a sudden? 

“Show me what, Pearl?”    
“Just how much I care for you, dearest.” 

It’s like she’s been sucker punched by a fist full of affection. Head spinning, it takes Bismuth a moment just to regain the ability to speak. 

“Pearl, I… yes. Yes of course.” She look back down at her, and allow all of the love she’s felt for this beautiful, renegade pearl over the years to wash over her. It swells and settles in her chest, and there’s no doubt in her voice when she says: “You lead, I promise to follow.” 

The hand that was previously resting on her left bicep wander to Bismuth’s hip. It’s so distracting that the butch doesn’t notice the way Pearl is fiddling with her phone until soft, sweet music begin to play from it. 

Bewildered, Bismuth look from it down to the other gem’s face, that’s suddenly flustered and shy, eyes flickering around the room. In a sudden, bitterly nostalgic swell of protectiveness, the blacksmith pull the other closer to her, placing her hands gently at the smaller gem’s shoulders and - oh, that face, that sound, that’s new. Pearl gasps before laughing, then look up at Bismuth with so much tenderness in her eyes that the power dynamic switch once more, and Bismuth is back to being the one flustered and blushing. 

Pearls other hand land on her right hip and then they’re swaying to the music together, slow and steady, sweet and gentle. Like waves lapping at the shore, they take turns following and leading, listening to each others cues as they dance through the kitchen together. They break eye contact for the first time when the song begin to fade into its last notes; and it's only close their eyes, lean their heads to each other and smile. As their breath mingle against each others lips, Bismuth feel a familiar pull… 

When they open their eyes again, they are big, bright and graceful. Opening their eyes, they laugh together, loud and bright, spinning around the kitchen floor with their arms around them. 

“Oh, oh Bismuth! It’s beautiful!” the gem hear as well as feels Pearl speak through their lips. It’s a little disorienting, but mostly it feels exciting, and  _ right  _ \- like they’re two pieces of a puzzle, finally finding each other and slotting together. 

“What is?” 

“All of this  _ love _ ! Oh, dearest, I can feel it, it’s wonderf-” 

And just like that, they’re unfused. They’re sitting on the kitchen floor, staring at each other for a short while before Bismuth, that’s feeling seen in the worst, most vulnerable kind of way, look down at her hands. The previously discarded note, the one with Pearl’s number on it, is laying right next to her fingers. 

“I should… I should probably-” But before she’s been able to retreat, Pearl cross the distance and cuts her off with a sudden, searing kiss. 

“You silly, silly gem…” she gasp between the kisses that she plant all over Bismuth’s face. “don’t you see I adore you? Couldn’t you  _ feel  _ it? I love you too, you dumb rock!” 

“Oh…” Bismuth just sits for a while, letting Pearl smother her in affection while her words take root. “Oh!” And just like that she gathers the other gem up in her arms, making her squeal and giggle in the brief moment before their lips meet in another kiss. 

This one is long, passionate and full of promises for many, many other kisses yet to come. 


End file.
